Water Of The Womb Blood Of The Covenant
by harrishawksuperiour
Summary: Families are hard. More so when they're on opposite sides of the First Order and Republic divide. The First Order trio fall on desperate times with nowhere to go after Starkiller is destroyed. With Kylo Ren fading fast, Captain Phasma has a decision to make. How will she cope with the constant probings? Will the Vornskr leave Kylo alone? Will General Hux get used to being hit on?
1. Chapter 1 - You Come Into My House

((This is the first part! Not sure where it's going but we'll see, shall we? There will be smut later if I continue! ;) ))

Commander Raina Von waited. They were due to dock soon. A medical team was on standby, one of them was gravely injured.

" _Catch me, Vida!"_ The delightful calls of children having fun in her mind reinforced her decision – _This was the right thing to do._

" _If he likes you and you like him, it's not that difficult, just go for it!"_ Teenage advice, one female to another. One who knew the territory versus one who didn't - _This was the right thing to do._

" _Arkanis? But…. But that's an Imperial Academy…."_ That one made her falter - _But this was the right thing to do._

Her base was impressive. Stone built like an old fort but modernized for all the contemporary comforts that one could want. She felt it suited her. Strong and enduring but willing and able to adapt. If that wasn't displayed today, it never would be.

"Touching down, Commander." One of her staff informed her quietly from over her shoulder.

"Thank you." The medical team waited to her right, ready to take the injured one to the medical bay but there was silence in the hall. The hum of the elevator broke it and Raina readied herself. They were just more visitors. That was all. There was nothing special about them.

Raina was stood several meters directly in front of the elevator on the bottom steps of wide, ornate staircase. On either side of her step, she was flanked by an ugly, statuesque beast. Perfectly still, barely breathing and sitting bolt upright; these vile creatures were her pride and joy. Vornskr. They were of the canine variety from Myrkr with something of a savage reputation. These two were no different. Both held their height at past her hips; black, scrawny and almost skeletal with long heads, piercing facial features, great red eyes and pricked ears.

With teeth like knives, heavy clawed paws and mightily strong; they were a thing of nightmares. Their tails, though curved subtly behind them was one of their deadliest weapons. Lengthy and thin, they acted as whips. Previously bred and used to kill Jedi (with an ability to sense the Force), they were a guarantee of protection. She trained them both to an exceptional standard, having acquired them as a present to herself upon making the post of Commander. Who said money can't buy loyalty?

When the elevator finally opened, this powerful individual was the first thing they saw. Well, the conscious ones anyway. She couldn't exactly be missed. Though she wasn't very tall, she was imposing. Stood straight in knee-high black heeled boots, almost peroxide blonde kinks weaved their way down the front and back of her uniform, draping over her chest and shoulders unchecked. Her hands clasped behind her back which pushed out her chest which (she'd been told) didn't need help to be emphasized. The uniform, though somewhat unorthodox for a Republican base was all black and quite tight.

She liked it that way. Confidence in herself gave her confidence over her troops and if she felt sexy…. Hell yeah, why not? With her blaster secured tightly to her belt and the Vornskr at her side, she was rather untouchable. She cast a careless glance as the medical team scurried forward to relieve a pair of Stormtroopers of the unconscious form that she assumed was Kylo Ren.

"Give him everything he needs. Nothing spared." She spoke to the medical team then to the Stormtroopers. "You may accompany him." Her voice wasn't quite as cruel as she looked. The Stormtroopers looked to their superiors and followed after the medical team when they were given the clear. There was quiet while the team left.

Her Vornskr started to react; whether it was the blood or the Force they smelled, she didn't know. In that time, she took in his visitors. Both were exceptionally tall. The male had a confidence about himself but that came with the rank of General. Yes, she knew who he was. His reputation preceded him. Red, carefully styled hair, pale pallid skin, icy blue eyes, pristine black uniform. Staunch, unwavering, disciplined. Yes, he was someone she could have fun with. The other, however, was hidden beneath an abundance of chrome Stormtrooper armour though it was dirty and dented. However, Raina knew everything about her. Of course she knew she was female.

"Take off that mask. You don't need it." The Commander's voice echoed across the empty space, unconsciously mirroring some of the last words Han Solo ever said to his son. Hux heard Phasma curse quietly under the helmet. This would be interesting. He'd never seen her face. Nor did he know how they'd come to be on this base. He'd hold his tongue for now. He wanted to see how this played out. Grudgingly. Phasma pulled off the silver helmet and dropped it on the ground with a metallic _**thud**_. The similarities were there, the same blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin though Raina looked far less frustrated and agitated than Phasma.

Raina looked slightly amused, smug even at the other woman's disdain. Phasma's short hair stuck to her in sticky strands from the helmet and she tried desperately to push it back off her face as Hux stared at her.

"So, Starkiller is no more?" It was said conversationally but goading undertones bubbled beneath it. "About time too. Fucking thing was an eyesore." Phasma restrained herself. The First Order was her life and Raina knew it. They were out of harm's way for now, Kylo Ren was being treated but it was all being done under Raina's good graces.

"Tigani. Nami." Both Vornskr were called gently and padded after her when she turned on her heel and headed up the steps, turning right where the staircase split. Phasma took off at a stride after her, Hux not far behind. They followed her to a rather spacious office and study where she stood waiting for them to sit. The Vornskr had already done so, on either side of a black leather arm chair across a caf table from a similar black leather sofa.

The new arrivals took their seats without question and so did she.

"I see you didn't get a haircut." Phasma observed somewhat scathingly, eyes flickering to Raina's luscious blonde waves.

"I see you did." The other countered with an arched eyebrow, noticing the severe haircut of the woman opposite. A tense silence followed.

"It's good to see you." Raina offered diplomatically to the taller female as she crossed her legs, ignoring the General for the moment.

"And you." Phasma answered grudgingly which made the Commander crack a brief laugh.

"You always were a terrible liar. You want to be here as much as I want you here, we both know it." The Captain narrowed her eyes at the marginally younger woman she hadn't seen in years. She hadn't really changed. She'd…. developed. She'd grown into herself, carried herself with confidence and vanity.

"So why did you let us come here?!" Phasma demanded, getting more flustered though Raina brushed it off.

"Because that's what families do for each other, Vida." The Commander answered, suddenly cold. General Hux stiffened _. Vida was her first name? They were related?_ "Not that you'd know anything about that."

"Still sore about the path I chose?" Vida mocked, knowing what drove her cousin to such bitterness.

"The second you stepped on that ship to Arkanis, you turned your back on your family!" Raina barked in reply, ignoring the increasing look of mortification on Hux's ashen face. It didn't seem like an argument he should have been listening in on.

"You could have come with me, imagine what we could have done!"

"I wouldn't lower myself to the First Order." Raina drawled luxuriously, sitting back in her chair, crossing her legs and examining her nails. Hux had to try not to take it personally. "I don't answer to anyone, Vida. I'm in charge here, no one else."

"I see you still keep a whip in your boot." It was an offhanded observation but Vida managed to make it cutting. "Still making your way through your staff?"

What should have been an insult was greeted with a vicious cackle. It shook Vida but she wouldn't dare show or admit it. Especially when said whip was removed from her boot and laid on the coffee table. A sly glance at the General saw him pale a shade before she looked back to her cousin.

"It's a tauntaun crop and you know it. But male conquest was never your forte, was it? Another reason you clung to me growing up! To get noticed!" Vida jumped to her feet to tower over her cousin and Raina stared back at her casually, daring her to do something. The growls from the Vornskr were enough to stop her.

"I'll have you shown to your rooms. You must be tired from watching your own base be blown into a million pieces." It was said sweetly and with derision but Vida had already left and the door whirred shut behind her. It was her and the General. She watched him pointedly but said nothing while he did everything to avoid eye contact.

"You seem tense, General." Raina noted with a quirked eyebrow in his direction. Being addressed by her automatically made him drag his eyes to her. He was used to a whole different type of woman. He was used to the submissive females that made up his staff (not necessarily in a sexual way) but this woman would probably eat them alive. He really didn't know what to do with her. Not when she looked at him like that anyway. "You should unwind."


	2. Chapter 2 - Sibling Rivalry

Vida couldn't decide if coming here was a mistake or the best thing she had ever done. If she hadn't made this decision, Kylo Ren would probably be dead and they would just be drifting aimlessly until they found a safe haven. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. A droid was waiting outside when she stomped out of Raina's office the night before. It led her along the corridor to a vacant bed chamber, nattering mindlessly as any droid would. A change of clothes and a meal had been left as an afterthought from her cousin. She barely slept that night.

As confident as she had been in her decision to break her family's mould of military service for the Republic to join the First Order; it seemed her cousin had irked her enough to consider what could have been. It was more difficult for women. Raina, in the Republic at least, was rare. A woman of high command was relatively unheard of. Which why she was constantly undermined, belittled. Why would Vida want that? Say what you want about the First Order, they didn't care what gender you were as long as you were dedicated. If she stayed and she and Raina had not been anything special, they would have been sent off as military trophy wives of good breeding. That had been their mothers' fates after all.

The same droid appeared in Vida's room the next morning.

"Commander Von requests that you join her in her quarters for breakfast." The droid told her, somewhat more feminine than a usual droid.

"I don't suppose I have a choice?" Captain Vida Phasma asked the droid somewhat carelessly as she pulled on the clothes that had been left for her.

"I'm afraid not, madam. She's rather insistent." Vida complied with a sigh though another meeting with her cousin was the last thing she needed. Upon arriving in the Commander's chambers, the scene should have surprised her but didn't. General Hux was already there sitting in the same place, still in his uniform. It seemed he was trying to look at anything except Raina who was still in her night wear. Night wear being a black silk nightdress of knee height with thin shoulder straps and a similar night robe with long sleeves draped loosely over her shoulders and a disregard for covering cleavage.

Of course, her Vornskr were present; one parked on either side of her leather chair.

"Nice of you to finally join us." Raina murmured without looking up from the projection on a handheld device in front of her. It looked like a report that she was proofreading, uncrossing and recrossing her legs. The whip was gone from the table.

"Sit. Eat something." Vida glanced sideways at the General as she sat down to help herself to the crammed caf table; it seemed ranks were gone out the window now. He looked somewhat confused. He was used to a certain amount of protocol on Finalizer and Starkiller but it seemed Raina did what she pleased with no consequences.

He couldn't seem to pass a verdict on her yet. She was open but enigmatic. He was sure all he had to do was ask and she would tell him what he wanted to know but where to start? He needed to get over the fact that she was half naked in front of him without much thought first. Raina absentmindedly picked up her cup from the table and closed down the projection before handing it to a droid hovering nearby.

"Send that to the General. We'll have a request for a transmission in record time, no doubt." It was said with a roll of her eyes and an impatient shake of her head. "So….." She turned her attention to her guests as though pleased to see them. "Sleep well?"

Hux had left Raina's office not long after Vida but before he did, he spoke with her briefly. Learned the things he didn't have a chance to during the female's heated conversation. He found out she was Captain Phasma's first maternal cousin and her full name and title came to Commander Raina Von. _Von. He knew that name._ He had spent most of his night combing through his mental database but couldn't place it. He learned they were on a Republican base on the planet of Andala so there were still remnants of the Republic out there.

Eventually, the flirtations became stronger and the advances from the blonde had become too much. She certainly intrigued him. Strong, beautiful, confident, intelligent, and independent but he didn't know how to deal with all those things in one person. When in such unfamiliar territory, he found it best to flee. Maybe she terrified him a little. He wasn't used to someone so….. Vivacious? But she was in charge here. Not him. If he chose to behave that way on his own vessels, he was sure he'd get away with it as she was. She had offered to have his uniform laundered for him as she had no objection to him wearing it. It suited him. She could appreciate a man in uniform.

This man happened to be a tall redhead in a First Order uniform, strangely attractive for such a vile organization. There were murmurs of "Fine…." And "Well enough…." From the First Order pair as Raina's eyes flickered between them curiously from over the rim of her cup. It seemed her command was fuelled by copious amounts of tea and sex.

"I have an update on Kylo Ren." She announced, mindlessly tucking a blonde strand behind her ear.

"He is still unconscious but stable. He sustained many horrific injuries but my team are working on him." That was something at least. The Commander's cup was set down on the table before she spoke again.

"I don't know how you got off the Starkiller before it exploded." Raina was blunt. She'd been getting transmissions over the past few days from different squads charged looking for any signs of the First Order. "But you did. And your ship was seen leaving the system. Lucky for you it wasn't tracked in time. If you're found, you'll be prosecuted. Maybe even executed."

"Do you have dealings with the Resistance?" Hux asked, unrest niggling at him.

"Of course I do." Raina answered somewhat haughtily, picking up her cup again. "I'm a Republican officer. Comes with the territory. Anyway, a report has been sent out…." She glanced in the direction the droid had left in. "Stating we intercepted a message that was from the Academy on Arkanis. That you were called there. It will buy us some time. As much as I want to protect you, you can't stay here forever."

Hux and Vida looked at each other solemnly. It was the best they could have hoped for. Raina had to protect herself too.

"Until then, you'll probably end up staying in your own quarters or here in mine. Vida, you spent most of your time with that bloody helmet on so no one knows what you look like. General…." She wasn't quite sure what to do with him yet.

"Everyone knows what you look like. You'll have to stay in your quarters or with me at all times." He didn't object but the suggestive wink unnerved him a little.

The droid she had given the report to clicked its way back into the room.

"Commander, we have a live pending transmission from the General."

"Already?!" She complained, obviously unimpressed before looking to her guests. "Not a word, either of you. Fine. Put him on." Raina got up from her seat and paced until she heard the familiar click.

"General." She greeted to someone who wasn't physically present in the room.

" **I got your report, Commander. It made no sense."** The answering voice was gruff, belonging to an older man. He was definitely impatient. Vida bit her lip. She knew this was going to be vicious. There was nothing quite like seeing Raina in action but especially with someone of lower intelligence. Like this General.

"Tell me something, General." Raina began casually, her annoyance palpable, pacing the floor of her office some more. "Because I'm dying to know. How you made your rank if you can't read?" Hux's jaw dropped. _She spoke to a General like that?!_

" **Watch it, Commander, you're protocols are unorthodox as it is! I hear there's not a male officer on your base that can walk properly!"** It was getting heated and Raina kept pacing, the hem of her night dress swinging as she did so.

"Well, General, we play to our strengths, don't we? My strength is that I don't look and smell like the back end of a dead Tauntaun so maybe if you fix that, you mightn't have staff looking to be transferred from your base to mine. Captain Det sends his regards by the way." Vida was smiling, shaking her head and biting back the urge to laugh while Hux looked bewildered.

" **I SHOULD HAVE HAD YOU SMOTHERED AT BIRTH, RAINA!"** The disembodied voice barked harshly, she simply rolled her eyes.

"You should have, General. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it is hindsight nonetheless." She answered coolly, slowly drawing him out and antagonizing him to the last.

" **DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT HAVE PRISONERS ON BOARD, COMMANDER?!"** Vida's smile dropped. Surely they hadn't been found out already? Raina was unperturbed by the accusation.

"We're back to the reading thing, General." She continued savagely. "Where on that report does it say I have prisoners? Read it to me. Or give it to someone who can. Because nowhere on that fucking projection does it say I have prisoners on board! It said that their vessel was recalled to Arkanis so obviously someone is waiting for them there! Dead or alive, that's where they'll be!" There was a brooding silence for a moment.

 **"Where is that bitch Vida?! Is she alive?!"** Raina locked eyes with her cousin from across the room.

"I haven't seen Vida in nearly fifteen years, General. How would I know if she's alive or not?"

 **"If I find her, I'll kill her with my bare hands, Raina. Make no mistake about it."**

"That makes two of us, General."

" **I'll send a dispatch to Arkanis."** The line went dead.

"Asshole." Raina spat before sitting back down in her chair and rubbing her temples. "Do you have any siblings, General?" She asked after she had distressed somewhat.

"No…. I'm an only child."

"Lucky you." She replied dryly, reaching out to stroke a Vornskr absentmindedly. "I hate my brothers."

"I see Xander hasn't learned any manners." Vida observed crisply, thinking back to the last time she had seen the General. "Still a brute?"

"You have no idea. I swear I turn into a mild alcoholic just dealing with him." Her tea was regarded with something of disdain, wishing it was something stronger. "I don't know how his wife copes."

 _"He's married?!"_ Vida hissed, having forgotten the satisfaction of gossip.

"Mmm. I've only met her once. Reasonable woman but if she willingly married Xander, I fear there maybe something going on in her head. Or not. If she's as dim as him, they're well matched." Vida regarded her cousin; she was easily her favourite out of a family she hated.

"And you?"

"I do what I want, when I want. No one is going to tell me otherwise." Raina smirked and stretched out her arms as though displaying herself.

"I can't see your father being happy about that."

"Oh he's not." The Commander replied with a kink of an eyebrow, confirming Vida's suspicions. "He's sending me suitor after fucking suitor, each one worse than the last. But I'm not here because of daddy dearest. Nor am I going to change my life to please him. Fuck that." Raina turned her attention to the General.

"I should explain. Who you just heard was General Xander Von _." That was the name he knew._ "He's head of a base out on Betal. Republic, obviously. He's my eldest brother and he hates my guts because I'm proof that his parents had sex when he was sixteen so..." Vida loved the explanation but the truth was Xander really did despise his sister. "He's as thick as a Gungun and twice as ugly-"

"I've engaged with him. You're correct, he's not very clever."

"Did you beat him?"

"Easily." Raina looked impressed. This redhead got better and better.

"I'm so glad you brought him here." The shorter blonde leaned across to her cousin but still surveyed Hux. "He's smart, he's hot and he's kicked the shit out of my brother."


	3. Chapter 3 - Loss and Comfort

((Also: The Vornskr are canon! I didn't make them up; they do actually exist in the Star Wars universe and they do have influence over the Force. I know they sound a bit too perfect! :D))

"Brendol Hux? Is that not correct?" The General walked placidly if not still a little staunch beside the Commander. Side by side, the height difference (minus the obvious heel in her boots) was undeniable but neither he nor any of the staff sliding glances at the pair commented on it.

"Correct."

"You can relax, General. There will be no consequences for you while I'm here." He took it on board but did not relax. His posture and his discipline were bred into him. It would take far more from the flirty Commander for him to drop that.

"Why does my name interest you?"

"You're illusive." She answered pointedly, not knowing a whole lot about the redhead beside her. "I wish to know more about you. Especially as you're a protected guest on my base." She watched as he took in his new surroundings, how he (unintentionally) inspected the uniforms and mannerisms of her staff. It seemed the only one lax in practice was Raina and that was only behind closed doors. Now, walking her base, she was dressed more or less the same as when he'd first seen her: complete with tauntaun crop and high heeled boots.

"Your father was also Brendol Hux, was he not?"

"He still is." Hux chanced a glance at the blonde female beside him to find she was already regarding him with a sweet sort of curiosity.

"He shot my father, did you know that?"

"I wouldn't put it past my father to shoot a Republican officer." Hux replied, maintaining his gaze on the female as they walked though they didn't seem to have any particular destination. "Did he kill him?"

"Sadly, no. He's still breathing down my neck. He got him in the shoulder, the scar is one of his most prized possessions nor does he stop talking about it."

 _Sadly, no._ Hux remembered the conversation Raina and Vida had had a few days previous. It made sense that Raina would have disdain for someone who tried to tie her down when she was enjoying her life the way it was. At least Raina had had that freedom; Hux had no choice.

"But that was before you or I were even born. General." Raina brought him back out of his thoughts.

"Well…. Before I was born anyway. I don't know about you."

"I don't imagine there's too much between us, Commander."

"Well, I'm thirty. Vida is only a few months older than me." That struck a chord of surprise.

"Is she?" He asked, not bothering to keep the shock out of his voice. "She seems….. older."

"I suppose running with the Republic and running from it carry two different stress levels." Raina answered simply with half a shrug. "That and that bloody helmet can't be very good for her skin." That hadn't been one of the considerations behind the design concepts of the Stormtrooper helmets but why would it have been? Stormtroopers weren't known for their vanity and it certainly didn't seem to bother Vida.

Hux had been meaning to question about the two creatures that Raina was never seen without. Those two brutal beasts that guarded her every move and even the refresher door when she relieved herself. He had no doubts that if she ever spent a night alone (she seemed to have done just that since their arrival out of respect); she would never truly be alone as these monsters would probably be stretched out in her bed.

She would have confirmed it for him if he'd asked. Ugly and all as they were; they were impressive. Well trained, disciplined, intimidating; they wouldn't have been out of place on Starkiller or Finalizer.

"I've been meaning to ask…." Hux stopped, so did she and so did the Vornskr. "About _those."_ He half turned and directed his icy gaze to the strange animals that had been shadowing them since he met her outside her quarters that morning. Their red pupils matched his. If he wasn't so confident he would have been unnerved. Raina looked too.

"What about them?"

"Well, what are they?" Raina started their walk again so Hux followed her.

"They're called Vornskr." The blonde informed him with something akin to fondness in her speech but he'd glance back every now and then at the creatures with subtle curiosity.

"Never heard of them."

"They're from a planet called Myrkr. They hunt in small packs which is perfect with just the two. They're brothers, my boys." She too glanced back, the way a proud mother would look at her children. "They're mostly nocturnal but I've had them for so long that they sleep when I sleep."

"They're fascinating."

"I didn't have you pegged as an animal lover, General."

"Not especially but I can appreciate a striking beast when I see it."

"I thought you'd like them."

"And why is that?"

"The First Order has this obsession with wiping out the Jedi. So do the Vornskr." Hux's eyes narrowed with slight confusion. How could an animal like that possibly be connected to the Jedi?

"I'm afraid you'll have to explain."

"The Vornskr…." Raina began, shifting her vision to the redhead's face. She wanted to see this reaction. "Are and have been trained to track, hunt and kill Jedi." The General froze but Raina kept up her casual saunter but stopped a few steps ahead of her companion. "I'm guessing they're the reason Kylo Ren is taking his time waking up." Hux looked ahead to the blonde who had now turned to face him.

"But…. How?"

"They too can use the Force." Raina explained, watching with a strange sort of satisfaction as Hux's face became even more confused.

"But…."

"They tap into the Force. Cut off the Jedi's flow to it and, I assume, tear whatever Jedi they happen across limb from limb. Or any Force sensitive for that matter."

"And how does that affect Kylo Ren?" They started to walk again, a round trip back to her office and Hux felt the respect for these creatures grow immeasurably. Why wouldn't he? If they could subdue Kylo Ren just by being there, they obviously weren't to be trifled with.

"Force users tend to have a quicker rate of recovery." The Commander relayed from her black leather chair upon the return to her office. The steaming cup of tea was held but not sampled just yet. Hux, however, didn't seem to notice the blistering temperature of his black coffee as serious sips were taken.

"But at the moment, he's displaying the same level or recovery as a non-Force user. He's on a par with the rest of us, if you will. I believe it's down to the Vornskr." The General's eyes trailed to the animals resting (as usual) on either side of Raina's chair. "That's why Force users don't do well on my base. Though I must say, he's the first one in a while." Hux nodded, gaze shifting from the black beasts to the blonde opposite him.

"And are they trained to-?"

"No. Track and hunt, yes. Kill? No. That said, I've had them since they were a few weeks old. They're bonded to me and I to them. If my life was in danger, I have no doubt that they'd revert back to natural instincts to protect me." The General was quiet and looked back to the dozing creatures. They looked strangely peaceful now. Not quite so savage. "Vida tells me he gets under your skin." Raina noted lightly after a few moments, watching Hux over the rim of her cup as his interested seemed to intensify. "I would gift one to you but like I said: Bonded."

"There's no need for that." He replied with gentle dismissal, going back to his coffee and Raina.

"It must be quite trying. Dealing with that level of immaturity and pettiness. For a man of your stature at least."

"He gets things done." Hux admitted but barely. Could all this have been avoided if Ren had left the girl and captured the droid like he was supposed to? Probably. "But not without drama. Like you said; trying."

"Strange isn't it, General? You have the likes of us and Vida who have striven for where we are now and then there's him…. He's given partial command of a ship and a number of Stormtroopers and yet, he knows nothing of what it is to actually take orders in order to give them." She had a point. "Amazing how you haven't killed each other really. I mean, there's him: Unpredictable, volatile, ignorant…. And then there's you; intelligent, disciplined, experienced…."

"Commander…."

"Raina."

"I don't see why we need to divert from ranks when we address each other."

"Well, I'd rather you called me by my name when we're not attending to business or about the base. I'll still refer to you by rank, if you prefer."

"And how is that fair?"

"We might be on opposite sides, General. But technically, you're still my superior." Hux felt a squirm in his stomach. It was like she could smell it. Raina let that sink in for a few moments. She sat forward in her chair and set her cup down carefully. "I must say, General…" She crossed one leg over the other and rested her folded hands on her lap. "You have more control and restraint than any man I've ever seen." Where was she going with this? "Or do I just terrify you?"

Hux lifted his head slightly to take her in fully. She was watching him, almost like she was coercing him.

"Speak plainly, Commander." There it was again.

"I genuinely thought I'd have had you in bed by now." Raina tilted her head to reinforce the coercion. He wanted plain? She'd give him plain. "Several times over in fact. Truth be told? I thought I'd have you the first night you set foot here. Why is that? Do you even find me attractive? Why did I fail with you when I've succeeded with…. Well, everyone else I've set my eye on?" Hux cleared his throat, trying not to sound embarrassed and set down his own cup. So they were actually talking about this.

"First of all, yes. You do terrify me. I have never met such a confident, self-assured female in all my life. Secondly, I find you extremely attractive, even on a level I didn't know attraction could stretch to. And thirdly, who said you failed?" Raina arched a perfect eyebrow as a small smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh?"

"I have been preoccupied of late. Starkiller was…. A great loss. Both personally and to my career."

"Well, General." Raina was certainly more reassured as she slowly got to her feet and strolled her office casually, roaming dangerously close to his side of the sofa. "They say finding comfort in another can be a great way to deal with loss." She found herself leaning on the back of the couch behind him and leaning in over his shoulder, the ends of her blonde kinks tickling the side of his face. "You see that door over there?"

"Yes?"

"That's my bedroom. If I'm not around the base, I'm in here or in there. Just something to think about."


	4. Chapter 4 - Yours For Mine

Raina had eased off on her pursuit. Since their open discussion a few nights previous; he knew what to do and where to go if he found himself having a change of heart. It was on him now. A strange sort of relationship had blossomed within those walls; Hux spent more time in Raina's quarters than he did in his own and of his own volition. He slept in his own room then took breakfast with Raina and would return to his space when she declared she was tired.

She did not mention her bedroom again. He knew where it was and would use the knowledge if and when he saw fit. Vida had seen strange before but this was a whole new level of odd. She had never seen anyone as staunch and as rigid as Hux so comfortable and at ease in the company of someone as easy-going and informal as Raina. She was his polar opposite but he seemed to appreciate that. Since their arrival, the Vornskr had grown complacent with the visitors. They now knew their names were Tigani and Nami; both strong male names from their planet of origin.

Vida could not tell them apart but Hux could. He knew Tigani was slightly broader and had a small scar over his left eye. Nami had a nick in his ear.

"Playing went too far when they were pups." Raina explained one social evening when the conversation turned to two creatures on the floor mouthing each other playfully; quite an unusual sight for two such dangerous looking animals. "The blood was everywhere."

Hux sat in Raina's quarters which seemed to be the norm by now. If she was there, so was he. If she was in the control room, so was he. In short, he was never far from the blonde commander. Whether it was for the sake of safety, comfort or just company, he didn't know. Did Raina notice? If she did, she didn't comment on it. The General was distracted from the holopad he flicked through so intensely when something invaded his peripheral vision.

Curious, he looked up and saw the glass tumbler she held out to him. Hesitantly, he took it.

"What is this?"

"It's not a seduction technique, I promise."

"I trust you that much, Raina. What is it?" Raina sat down in her usual chair with a glass of her own and her beloved Vornskr on each side.

"Alderaanian whiskey." Hux looked down into the glass; the liquid certainly did have a strong aroma, an unfamiliar one to other whiskeys he'd sampled. Not that he made a habit of it.

"Alderaanian whiskey." He repeated, somewhat blunt but bewildered. "Raina, surely you know that Alderaan was decimated over thirty years ago?"

"Thank you, General. I'm aware of that. By the Death Star." Hux gave in and took a small sip of the golden liquid in the glass. It was quite simply the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. Sweet, smooth, crisp. Lips pursed as he savoured it; he tried not to be too taken over by the tang, if he reacted, Raina would tease him. He actually found that quite endearing; it showed she didn't fear him. "How do you like it?"

"Magnificent. May I inquire as to the occasion?"

"No occasion as such." She replied, crossing her legs in a way that always got his attention. "I found it yesterday. I was looking for something else and came across it. I started thinking about the person who gave it to me and felt it was long overdue." Raina answered lightly, something reminiscent in her eyes in the way she looked at her glass, something fond but sad in her smile.

"It was a gift. For my eighteenth birthday. One of the last bottles to come off the planet." The glass was given a gentle swirl and the fond smile continued. Naturally, he was curious as to whom or what made her that way.

"And who gave it to you?" He asked, watching her curiously, never quite seeing her like this. Even when Vida had reappeared in her life, Raina had not been so sentimental. Then again, she was busy trying to hold a base together with supposed enemies on site and exerting a necessary dominance over her visitors.

"My brother." She answered after some thought though he doubted it was because the information was slow coming to her. "He got it a few months before I was born and kept it for me." He'd heard of this tradition before. It was a nice idea but he'd only ever heard of it done with wine, not near priceless whiskey. He knew enough about Raina's family. She detested her father and at least one of her brothers. She never mentioned her mother and there were more brothers she didn't speak about. More to the point, he knew her family were devout to the Republic and anything to do with the Empire or the First Order would probably warrant disownment. If her father and Xander saw her now.

"He might not be too pleased if he knew who you were sharing it with."

"I don't think he'd mind." She replied with the same fondness as she remembered the finer details of her brother; the ones that led her to that answer. Cal had always been different. "This might surprise you, General." Raina began conversationally after a hearty sip from her tumbler. "Some of the older Republican officers, the likes of my father and Xander for instance. They see the Resistance as little more than a barely trained militia without proper ranks or discipline. Hi baby." Raina digressed briefly when Nami placed his head on her lap and made that little noise she couldn't resist.

Hux sat forward having shrugged off his greatcoat, a sign of comfort he displayed around Raina. He'd never contemplated the relationship between the Republican military and the Resistance. He always assumed them to be one of the same and so there wouldn't be much to tell. That didn't seem to be the case.

"To them, they are merely rebels with good ships and decent pilots; pilots that are wasted in the Resistance. I'm sure they're probably rethinking that now…." She didn't linger on the point and for that he was grateful. Raina stroked Nami's head lightly and watched as the beast's crimson eyes closed in enjoyment.

"To belong to anything other than the Republican military in my family and Vida's was….. Well, you might as well be in the First Order." Noticing the attention his brother was getting, Tigani sauntered over and collapsed into the most awkward position possible and taking up much of Hux's lap. He couldn't ignore him so he too started to stroke the large animal.

"How Vida got the balls to join the First Order, I don't know. I suppose she was braver than I was. Chose to act upon what she saw where I couldn't. She saw the corruption within the Republic. Not all of it but enough of it. Greed, corruption, sabotage. Even among our own family members." Raina returned to her glass and took a sip. The taste was enough to sadden her but she could hide it well. Her free hand continued to stroke Nami.

"So why didn't you join us?" The General's curiosity had gotten the better of him. What if he and Raina had served on the same ship on the same side? Maybe he wouldn't be as taken with her. Maybe he would. She wouldn't have been the same though. Maybe she wouldn't have had the same spark of command that she had here.

"Because there were better ways to fix the Republic." Raina responded, directing her gaze from the Vornskr to the General, a little caught off guard with how intently he watched her. "I won't say anymore because I like you and I don't want to offend you." Hux breathed a small laugh into his glass at her blunt statement. The whiskey was definitely strong but he was sure his reactions were his own. The humour, it appeared, had been genuine as indicated by the smirk Raina cast into her own glass.

"Drink up." She told him, lashing another measure into his glass then her own.

"Cal was Xander's twin brother. There could not be two more different people on any planet and yet, they shared a womb. He never had any interest in the Republic. He loved anything mechanical, technical. Droids, engines, ships, anything. My parents entertained it, allowed him to train as pilot. And he was a brilliant one. One of the best." Raina paused and Hux's strokes to Tigani slowed though the creature showed no displeasure.

"How did he die?"

"Engine malfunction. Crashed on some backwater planet in the Arkanis system. They still don't know if it was the fumes or the actual crash that killed him." The Commander was almost blank. "Cal was also gay." The blonde held her glass and looked down at it as if it was an embodiment of her brother; sad, melancholic. "When he came out, told my father, he was disowned. Xander attacked him. Physically. I was only three, maybe four at the time. But I'll never forget asking him what happened to his lip, what happened to his eye, why his arm was in a sling…."

Raina leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Nami's head. The Vornskr were oddly comforting and Hux could attest to that.

"He joined what would later become the Resistance as a pilot. The new General Organa, formerly Princess Leia, took him in and showed him family, community. They accepted him for who he was, unlike his own family. Most importantly, he found love and I will always be grateful to her for that. I am indebted to her and I will repay it."

"Nobody gets in while I'm speaking to him."

"Yes, Commander." Though the door was guarded on the outside, she brought security measures of her own into the medical bay with her. He was kept in a separate, scarcely used wing. One of a higher security clearance, mostly used for prisoners. It was different with Vida and Hux when she was with them constantly, she could keep an eye on them. Her staff were dealing with a volatile, somewhat conscious Kylo Ren without supervision. Extra precautions needed to be taken.

He was just about awake when she entered the smaller, single bedded facility. The Vornskr slithered in after her and the door was shut before she strutted to the bed. It seemed the greater disturbance in the Force (though he was unsure why) jolted him fully awake, causing him to glower at the blonde female now in his presence. She wasn't afraid of him, far from it.

"Who are you?!" He spat suddenly, feeling more helpless than usual as she pulled up a chair and sat up beside his upper half.

"My name is Commander Raina Von." She told him calmly, confidently, unperturbed by his seething attempt to sit up.

"Where am I?!" Raina raised an eyebrow. _Gratitude, boy. You'd best learn it._ "You're on a Republican base on the planet of Andala. _My base._ " Panic set in at the word Republican. She felt a weak sort of probing and that desperate frustration on Ren's face drew her to one conclusion.

"You're trying to get into my head, aren't you?" She asked him quietly, leaning in a little towards him. The look of alarm that took over the desperation answered that too. "You won't be able to. Blame them." She nodded behind her and his gaze followed to the horrific creatures watching him like prey from beside the door. "Let's just calm down, alright?" _Gently,_ Raina reminded herself. _Be gentle._

"No one's going to hurt you. We're actually trying to help you. You were brought here by General Hux and Captain Phasma." The familiar names jostled around in his head. But it made no sense. Why a Republican base? The dark haired male regarded her cautiously, sceptically. She had no command of the Force but her….. Creatures(?) did?

"And why are we on a Republican base?" He seemed to have accepted it and subsequently calmed down.

"I'm Captain Phasma's first cousin." Raina explained though she knew the man had probably never seen her cousin with her helmet off and so had nothing to compare her with. "She contacted me when the three of you had nowhere else to go. And I accepted." Ren studied the female before him carefully. Blonde, wavy hair, pale skin, blue eyes; very pretty overall.

"You're a spy?"

"No." Raina shut him down bluntly then pursed her lips briefly. "I hate spies." They were quiet for a moment as they studied each other.

"I know what happened on Starkiller. What you did." Ren's whole demeanour changed. He was no longer defensive and ruffled; now there was a look of defeat and pain in those dark eyes. "I know what you thought it would accomplish. But it didn't. It didn't do what it was supposed to." Raina took in his crumbling exterior, the scar that dominated the upper half of his face.

"I don't know much about the Force but I know that the pull between light and dark can be unbearable. The choice can be crushing and one can find comfort where another can find destruction. For darkness restores what light cannot repair, isn't that right?"

The Knight stared. Someone understood. She understood what it meant. That pull, that shift, that torment. Even if it was just words, she was trying to offer him something.

"You wouldn't be here if it weren't for family. Vida made sure you were brought to safety and she swallowed her pride to do so. It's what families do for each other." Raina looked behind her to the door and to the Vornskr. When she looked back, Kylo Ren watched her like a lost child.

"It's not too late, Ben." The blonde expected another shift in his emotions but she didn't expect him to cry.

"It is…." He gasped through the familiar sensation of a windpipe constricted by tears. "It's done…. It's too late…." The Commander remembered the pitiful condition Cal had been in. She remembered seeing him years later when she was old enough to decide for herself. He was strong, he was glowing, he was happy. He was in love! She didn't know if she could ever repay Leia. Now she could. Raina left the chair and sat up beside the pillow, perched lightly at the side of the mattress. An arm wound around the dark male's shoulders and pulled him gently against her. He didn't know her but he didn't fight her. He was broken but it was comforting. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"You have two choices." She told him barely above a kind whisper. "You go and face Snoke. Or you allow me to arrange to bring you home." Ren froze. To him, neither of those were an option.

"I can't…."

" _Your mother wants you home."_ Those were the magic words. "You tell me if you want to go home and I'll arrange it."

"Yes…." His answer was instantaneous. "But… Hux and Phasma?"

"They won't know until you're gone. I promise."

"General." Raina stood in her quarters, hands tucked behind her back. "He's awake." There was almost silence but enough background noise to know the line was still live. There was a sniffling then a woman's voice.

 _"He's alright?"_

"He's just fine. A little scratched up but the worst of the damage has been taken care of. He's mostly resting." She paused. This was for Cal. "He wants to come home, General." The sniffling intensified and Raina waited for a moment. "I've spoken to him. He's torn up. I think he just needs his mother."

 _"I can't think of how to repay you, Raina."_

"You looked after mine, General. The least I could do was look after yours until he was ready to go home."

 _"I'll send someone soon. Before the day is out."_

"Take care, General."


	5. Chapter 5 - It's Over

"Explain it to me." 

"You sound awfully interested."

"I'm curious."

"You're treading into unorthodox territory now, General."

Her visitors still didn't know about Kylo Ren. Raina was going to try and keep that to herself for as long as possible. Tigani and Nami followed the conversation, heads bobbing in the direction of each voice when it contributed. Breakfast time as usual was opened with a fresh debate over the packed caf table; pastries, meat, eggs, tea, caf, toast. The Commander spared nothing.

"Perhaps if I understand it, I can tell you why you do it and I don't." Hux replied with something akin to a small shrug or the closest thing he would allow himself to it. He was still quite regimented weeks after his arrival though he had loosened somewhat and become more comfortable. It seemed a Republican base wasn't as smothering as he thought it would be. He had Raina to blame (or thank) for that.

"I know why I do it." The blonde responded coolly, tea in hand as per usual while the General remained faithful to his usual cup of black caf, no milk or sugar. Hux had become accustomed to Raina's usual morning attire (or lack of it) though he had convinced himself that wasn't the reason he enjoyed dining with her. "The fact is, General, we're all animals. Advanced animals, yes, but animals nonetheless. And as animals, we have instincts-"

"Animal instincts to breed are usually based on procreation, not pleasure." Hux interjected teasingly as he unashamedly plucked a pastry from the platter in front of him and wet his mouth for it with another sip of scolding caf. On Starkiller and Finalizer, he made a point of eating alone. It minimized the chances of being seen to be weak or to take pleasure in something; to be human. However, he had broken that habit since arriving on Andala.

"There are certain species that do. Humans being one." Raina argued as she set her cup down momentarily and broke a nuna sausage in two. One half was handed down to Tigani and the other to Nami who both gratefully accepted but would no doubt come looking for more. Her tea was reclaimed after that. "I do it because I enjoy it. I find it helps me focus and helps me cope-"

"Are you saying you can't cope with your command without copious amounts of sex?" Hux arched an eyebrow from over the rim of his cup and felt the tug of a smirk on his lip in response to Raina's look of playful offence; he'd gotten quite good at relaying her humour. Even if the last word did taste funny in his mouth. He finished his pastry before he continued. "Because if you are, Commander, you're not as capable as I thought you were."

"And when was the last time you dipped your wick, General?" Raina was pointed but just as impish as the original question in an attempt to turn it on him; whether she'd get a truthful answer, she doubted it but it was possible. "Ten years? Twenty? How much crust is your wife going to have to chip away on your wedding night?"

The General borderline choked on his mouthful of caf but managed to swallow it before allowing a huff of laughter to escape. She was certainly special; no one else would dare broach that subject but it seemed she was braver and brighter than any of the few he'd shared his company with before. And to think; if they had met in different circumstances a few months previous, they would most definitely have tried to exterminate each other.

"You and I both know marriage wouldn't suit me." Hux retorted but the amusement echoed through it; from the establishment of these conversations, they were never taken seriously, merely banter over breakfast. "My position is far too important to be disrupted by a wife and fatherhood."

"And yet; here you are, sitting on your ass, eating my food and doing nothing." Raina replied, thoroughly delighting in the conversation. "I would have thought it was expected of you? Marriage? Fatherhood? Passing on those magnificent genes of yours?" And he _did_ have magnificent genes.

"The same as it would have been expected of you." He countered, skirting the question slightly but he figured she wouldn't let him get away with it. Another pastry was chosen with care and a sampling bite was taken; his approval was voiced in a small groan of contentment. "Marriage, children which would no doubt mean relinquishing your command."

"Well, that's not going to happen. And as you've rightly pointed out, I can't have both. So I'm not going to." Raina bent to the pressure from either side of her chair and broke another nuna sausage in half, passing each one to the Vornskr. "I've worked too damn hard to be where I am and it's not going to change for me to be shipped off to some backwater planet to be bred when some asshole has the chance. Not happening."

Hux had never really assessed the gender roles. Yes, there were women in command; most notably General Organa and of course, his fascination that was Commander Raina Von. Both were worthy examples but it never occurred to him that some of these women would regard marriage and having a family with disdain, even dread; that having a career was a more appealing option. Then again, his experience was limited. His mother had always been subservient and docile to his father, she had never complained about her role but it seemed Raina was constantly teaching him.

"Which brings us back to our original conversation." Raina sounded far more upbeat as the bottom of her cup met the table for the umpteenth time but on this occasion it was to shovel eggs onto a side plate for herself. "Screwing your staff: The best of both worlds."

"Yes but how do you do that without having them underestimate you when they've seen you in such an intimate and exposing light? How do you stop them expecting special treatment and such?" Once again, Hux rolled his eyes but keeping in with the light-heartedness of the conversation. His teeth sank into his pastry so he was almost halfway through it and already, he was eyeing another. His questions were justified. While the idea had never appealed to him but it interested him to learn how Raina kept the balance, which she did.

"Keep it separate." Raina shrugged, she was far more comfortable with the action than Hux had been earlier in the conversation. Simply because she could admit she was wrong when need be or had no trouble confessing when she didn't know something. Unlike the General who strove for perfection. "Alright, you've been around the base with me. Which ones have I slept with? Just from observing?"

"I don't know, Raina." The alien territory meant he said that expression a lot more now, Finalizer and Starkiller were comfort zones he didn't have anymore. He finished the pastry and snatched the one he had been eyeing before the blonde could get to it first. He knew the names purely from listening but couldn't pinpoint any extra tell-tale signs of who she had been involved with and who she hadn't.

"Of course you don't." Raina explained, pausing her fork to answer. "Because we're professional about it. Keep business and pleasure separate. No special treatment and if they start looking for it, dump that one and move onto the next one. It's not that difficult. I'm telling you, if you tried it you wouldn't be wound round so tight."

"Dare I ask what you're talking about?" Vida had joined them at last, cutting off Hux as he was about to protest and claim he wasn't 'wound round so tight'. The knowing smirk exchanged across the table advised Phasma she was probably better off not knowing but of course, her little cousin pushed on regardless.

"Sex with colleagues." Raina answered with a nonchalant tilt of her head to observe Vida's expression which had turned sour with almost scorn. As usual, the taller blonde took her seat on the sofa beside Hux, poured herself tea then helped herself to nuna sausage and eggs though didn't notice when the Vornskr shifted expectantly. "It seems it wasn't as popular on Starkiller or Finalizer as it is here."

"We do our jobs and follow our orders." Vida replied bitterly before biting into a piece of toast with enough egg on it to compose a mouthful. Hux chuckled quietly from beside her though Vida ignored him; her General and her cousin had gotten too close to ignore. In fact, Phasma couldn't be sure they weren't having a secret dalliance. However, Vida should have known Raina well enough to know that if there was indeed a dalliance that it wouldn't have been a secret.

"And I don't? Neither do my base staff?" The friendly discussion with the General had been just that: Friendly. Even Hux could see Vida's virtual disgust for the topic and had it been a serious debate, he would probably have felt similar. But little was serious with Raina; her cousin's reaction seemed to have offended her. "What violations do you see on my base? What codes of conduct do you not see upheld? Do tell me, Vida so I can have it followed up."

Phasma didn't answer. What could she say? Raina's base was pristinely run. The unorthodox practices were kept behind closed doors and off duty hours; from the outside looking in, there were no abuses of power (if one could call it that) going on. Aside of course from the three First Order fugitives seeking refuge illegally on the base.

"How is Kylo Ren?" Phasma changed the subject and palmed her cup of tea to warm her hands. "We've heard nothing since last week." Raina's stomach dropped. She'd been hoping to avoid this for as long as possible but if she lied, it would only be a matter of time before they found out.

"Well, the thing is….. Kylo Ren is gone." The clinking of cups, plates and cutlery silenced immediately while Raina tried to remain as casual as possible. The only thing to be heard were the warning swishes of Tigani and Nami's poisonous tails when they sensed the significant shift in the already tense atmosphere. They were ready to pounce and it didn't matter on whom.

"Gone." Hux repeated, dumbfounded or as close to it as he would allow himself to get. "Gone, do you mean dead?"

"No, he's very much alive." Raina wasn't outnumbered but she didn't want to fight these people. "But he's gone from the base; he's now in Resistance custody."

" **Resistance?!"** Vida yelped, wide-eyed as her plate went tumbling from her lap without her notice. One would expect Tigani and Nami to leap forward and hoover it up but they stayed loyally by their mistress should she need them. **"How?!"**

"I handed him over a few days ago-"

"But-!"

"At his own request." The First Order pair stared at her, open-mouthed and almost betrayed. "I gave him the option of going home and he took it."

" **HOME?!"** Hux exploded and Raina responded with a simple arched eyebrow in his direction. **"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOME?!"**

Raina's head tilted in the opposite direction and poised her face as if she was about to say something but changed her mind. Instead, she shifted in her seat and heightened herself as much as she could (it wasn't much) but it lent itself to the intimidation she had nonetheless.

"You _do_ know who Kylo Ren is, right?" Again, they just stared at her but with more curiosity than before. "Kylo Ren….." Raina cleared her throat and the Vornskr seemed to relax though the anger still radiated from the redhead. "His real name is Ben Organa Solo." She didn't take pleasure in watching Vida and Hux whiten in the faces but there was a small taint of satisfaction about it. "He's the son of General Leia Organa and Han Solo so…. I repaid my debt."

" _Your debt?!"_ Hux seethed having regained his fury rather than just sitting there, slack jawed. _"Your debt?! We needed him to-"_

"I don't think you realize-" Raina cut him off sharply and cleanly with a venom they hadn't really seen since the arrived all those weeks ago. "That you've lost. Starkiller is gone. Kylo Ren is gone. The whole fucking galaxy is looking for both your hides! And I am at great personal risk, not to mention my career, just by having you here!"

No argument met her's. Phasma and Hux exchanged a defeated but outraged glance, as if one was silently asking the other if they had a plan. It appeared neither of them did. Raina sat back in her chair and looked between them as if daring one or the other to rise to her challenge. Neither of them did.

"The First Order is gone." Raina continued with a little more sympathy than when she'd started. "It's over. Finalizer has been stormed and those on board have been arrested, anyone who resisted was killed. I don't know what that means for Snoke but I can only imagine that when Kylo Ren is fully healed that he will be sought out and executed."

"What does that mean for us?" Vida asked quietly when the reality sunk in. There was little gain in blaming Raina. She had to protect herself and they'd known that when they arrived. "What do we do?"

"I think it's best advised if you stay here for a while." Raina suggested though she didn't sound too sure. "Let things die down. I doubt Ren will turn you over and General Organa doesn't know you're here." The blonde patted her palms against her lap almost in finality then got up. "I'm going to get changed. I'll let you discuss your options among yourselves."


	6. Chapter 6 - Rebuilding

Naturally, Raina couldn't help but wonder the outcome. Would they leave? Would they stay? If they did, how could she shield them? She couldn't bear to lose Vida again and with Hux slowly coming out of his shell, she didn't want to waste that either. What would happen if they did stay and they got caught? Xander would never let her live it down if she wasn't executed for treason. Even less if he was the one to storm her base and catch her red handed with two First Order fugitives. She could only assume Vida and Hux felt terribly cornered at this moment and why shouldn't they? Handing over Kylo Ren had been nothing personal but it was plain to see how it might have been an attack on their ideals and their mission.

She decided enough procrastinating was enough and to face them instead. However, when Raina left her bedroom dressed, the space was empty save for the two loyal Vornskr. Hux and Vida had disappeared, more than likely to discuss their options and she confessed herself disappointed. Perhaps they _did_ hold her responsible. Breakfast clean up would be done by the droid as always so Raina's mind was free to wonder what would become of her guests. More often than not, Hux would join her on the bridge after they had taken breakfast; the majority of their talking seemed to be done then, for their time on the bridge was spent in companionable silence. She assumed that was his way of showing respect for her and her command, not distracting her through it. But he wasn't there.

The morning dragged by without the redhead quietly observing her and though she would probably never admit it out loud, she felt his absence in a more pricking way than she ever remembered feeling his presence. Lunch came and went, still no sign; until word reached her that food had been delivered to their quarters and had been accepted so at least their locations had been verified (only by a service droid, never an officer). It seemed only wise to grant them space and privacy to exercise their options and so dinner too was as lonely as she expected. She could only imagine how terribly frenzied their thoughts were; being in relative safety one moment and practically in the shade of the Resistance the next. It was only natural they would want to step back and re-evaluate their situation, possibly in favour of a better one.

An earlier decision not to get her hopes up cushioned her when she returned to her quarters that night to find them empty. Tigani and Nami padded in in her wake and took their usual positions on either side of the armchair for their pre-bedtime snooze. Raina pottered around, doing menial bits and pieces to occupy her mind so it wouldn't promise her that one of them would walk through the door any minute with an explanation; no such thing happened. Perhaps sleep would ease her. Rather than spending an unnecessary amount of time on her data pad before retiring, she killed the temptation to keep waiting by getting dressed for bed. Needless to say, the disappointment hadn't abated when she popped her head out to call the Vornskr for bed.

* * *

Much to Raina's surprise, she fell prey to slumber quite easily. She had assumed that with her mind as clamoured as it was that sleep would evade her but seemingly not. The snoring of the brother Vornskr didn't bother her anymore and hadn't bothered her in a long time; it was now soothing white noise if anything. The two beasts lay thrown across the bed, legs tangled but loyally tucked in together while Raina utilized the space left, fitting herself in around the two animals. Movement on the bed was nothing new so she didn't stir. Eyes closed and breathing deep; Raina didn't feel the Vornskr respectfully shifting but without alarm as though to make room for someone else.

The sheets being pulled back didn't disturb her nor the extra sag in the mattress; she remained in a peaceful, serene state which both relieved and frustrated Hux. At what point did he want her to wake? At least he was still in one piece, his greatest apprehension of entering her bedroom in the dead of night had been the two monstrous creatures that never left her side. Perhaps the last few weeks of sharing a common ground with them had paid off to be accepted as one of them: That common ground being their unwavering (if his was still a little unsure) devotion to Raina. The Vornskr woke briefly and barely but enough to reshuffle themselves to make room for the new arrival.

He slid in as close to her as he possibly could, still hesitant in his endeavour. Her attire was as it always was at breakfast, the dark silk that captivated his up-until-recently unstimulated imagination though she had her hair tied back into a loose, messy ponytail. A difference, yes but not a hindrance; a help if anything as it made it easier for him to press an amicable kiss to the back of her shoulder. She stirred with a quiet mumble of nothing but otherwise, his gesture of careful affection had no impact on the blonde. He decided to increase the physicality; after all, her language was physicality. One pale arm slipped behind her, the other crossed her waist and with her secured, he pulled to turn her over where her cheek would meet his chest. It had the desired effect, however slowly. One eye opened listlessly and blearily as she slowly began to realize she was awake.

 _"_ _What the fuck?"_ At least that's what he thought she said; it came out as a jumble rather than a coherent sentence. _"Hux?"_

 _"_ _I couldn't sleep."_ He opted to keep his voice low rather than disturb the Vornskr for a second time and it mightn't be very pleasant for her to be exposed to full volume when she hadn't even figured out what was going on yet. _"I needed to see you."_

 _"_ _I waited for you. All day, I waited for you…."_

 _"_ _I know, I'm so sorry. I'll leave if you would prefer but-"_

 _"_ _No, I don't want you to go. Stay."_ A flutter in his stomach of growing familiarity swung into action at her pleading declaration and who was he to refuse her? The room may have been dark and the apocalyptic snores of the Vornskr had reached full volume but none of that seemed to matter now that he had taken the bold step of bringing her into his arms. He couldn't see her face but he could feel the curiosity of her gaze. _"What're you doing here?"_

 _"_ _I owe you an explanation. I vanished today in an attempt to gather my thoughts and my composure, you didn't deserve to be left wondering and I'm sorry for that."_ More wakeful now, Raina was more than comfortable in her foreign position against Hux's bare chest and in the security of his arms. She prided herself on being an independent woman with little need for attachments but this once, she allowed herself to indulge.

 _"_ _You've lost a lot since you got here. I can't blame you but you could've at least talked to me, I could've helped."_

 _"_ _There was little talking to be done, more coping but I appreciate it all the same."_

 _"_ _Y'know…. You could've waited till the morning to tell me all this."_

 _"_ _I told you I couldn't sleep and I needed to see you. Both of those things were true."_

 _"_ _So you eventually found my bedroom door."_

 _"_ _I see your suggestion but I have no intention of putting you under that pressure tonight, it's too late."_ A beat and a glance back at the luminous clock he'd noticed on his way in and a means of finding his way in the dark. _"Or too early, rather."_

 _"_ _If you insist on being gentlemanly. I take it you're changing beds now?"_

 _"_ _If you'll permit me to."_

 _"_ _I think I can swing that. So…. Did you make a decision?"_ For a moment, Hux didn't answer. With a full exhale and a clearing of his throat, Raina's anticipation grew.

 _"_ _I would like to stay. Under your command, under your protection-"_

 _"_ _And my bedsheets."_

 _"_ _And your bedsheets. The First Order was my everything, Finalizer is gone and soon, the Supreme Leader will be too. I think I got out on time if Ren sees fit not to disclose my whereabouts. Regardless, I need to start rebuilding and I would like to do that here with you."_

 _"_ _And if they find you?"_

 _"_ _I will go quietly under the condition that nothing happens to you."_ What could she say to that? There was nothing really she could say only accept and return the nervous push of his lips against hers, internally glowing and pleased when he became more confident in his uncharacteristic actions.

 _"_ _I guess we better start rebuilding then."_


	7. Chapter 7 - What's in a Name?

It was strange. Just lying there with him, having been so stannic and separate for so long. And yet, here they were. More to the point, he had been the one to break the mould. He was still unable to sleep, that seemed to be the only thing that hadn't changed but they appeared to be happy enough to lie there together in companionable silence. Their position hadn't really changed over the course of the night, he still clutched her close to his chest while her cheek warmed his collar bone and the messy ponytail soothed his shoulder. The snoring of the Vornskr had melted into the background, ignored in favour of this new, gargantuan undertaking that Hux now found himself to be encased in, even comfortable in and it was nothing to do with the plush mattress or the luxurious sheets.

She had managed to drift back to sleep but he was contented to savour the individual strands gently grating on his skin whenever he slowly stroked his chin along the top of her head, cautiously enough not to wake her. Her soft, slumbering breath travelled across to tickle his earlobe and while he tried to think about it, pick through the past weeks up until now; he couldn't fathom why he'd waited this long. What had he been afraid of? Maybe it wasn't her reactions he feared, he knew from day one she harboured a soft spot for him. Perhaps he had overthought everything, he had focused too much on his own lack of experience that he had projected it onto her somehow; worried about how she would receive him if she knew how little human contact he had actually experienced.

Surely that wasn't his fault though? His childhood had not ben ideal and even before that, the circumstances surrounding his birth held the potential for scandal if the secrecy had not been managed correctly. And because Brendol Hux Snr valued what others thought of him, his illegitimate son was kept out of sight and therefore out of mind. How could he grow into a normal human being in such a smothered environment? Kept as a dirty secret until it was no longer possible or viable for his father to keep him as such. In typical alpha male fashion with no other heirs, Brendol had unofficially changed his son's name to emulate his own; as was the norm with any other first-born legitimate son.

That particular topic dictated his focus while he lay there: His name. Despite the dire treatment he had received in his childhood and at the Academy under his father's watchful eye, he had only ever wanted to please him and prove his worth but nothing ever seemed to be good enough. Expectations were never met, let alone exceeded, every report of a victory was always railroaded by a buried failure he was positive his father kept on hand just to emasculate him. Being on the base with Raina….. It made him think. It made him wonder if he wanted to keep bowing to his father's impossible wishes, if he still wanted to be a puppet.

When it was confirmed that everything he had worked for was gone, he hesitantly let go of that crippling desire to please and that was how he found it within himself to seek out Raina. He needed to break that cycle of expectations that were impossible to fill and live by his own standards, possibly with someone as unorthodox as Raina to encourage him. To relinquish the name, that was the first step and as soon as the blonde opened her eyes, he would confess the truth to her. It would happen sooner than he thought but for now, he wallowed in the blissful throes of rebellion of falling for and choosing to remain with a Republican officer.

The stirring and straining of a stretch woke him from those musings while his head dipped to watch her come around. Her legs extended then recoiled, her arms did the same shortly after. Her face contorted slightly as wakefulness took over and the tempo of her breathing against his ear changed tempo. The last indication of her transition from sleep was the flickering of her eyelids only to reveal those magnificent blue eyes that captivated him more and more every day from across the breakfast table. She took a moment to allow her eyes to adjust before manoeuvring to ensure the guest appearance of the night previous had, in fact, happened.

 _"_ _Hey."_

"Good morning."

 _"_ _So it wasn't a dream."_

"No, it wasn't a dream. All very real, I assure you."

 _"_ _Seems so, yeah."_

"I take it nothing has changed between now and a few hours ago?"

 _"_ _Nothing. You want to stay, I want you to stay; we're golden."_ Raina pulled herself up as much as her post-slumber strength would allow but not enough to be released from Hux's guarding grasp. The extended height made it possible for Raina to claim her new lover's lips in both a 'good morning' greeting and a solidifying of a pact that was seemingly in the making from when he first stepped on her base. _"You made your decision. Have you spoken to Vida?"_ Hux's confident composition fell into a grimace.

"No. I haven't seen her since I last saw you. We went our separate ways back to our rooms and I didn't see her after that."

"I knew you were both in your rooms." Raina began, unravelling her hair from the ponytail and letting it splay as the sleep started to drain from her system. "The housekeeping droid kept record of food delivered so at least I knew you were both fed but…. I hope she's okay."

"It's hit her as hard as it's hit me." Hux reasoned while Raina got comfortable again with obviously no intention of getting up just yet. "But I'm sure she's fine. She has a life-altering decision to make, she can't make it lightly."

"True." Raina conceded with no attempt to hide her worry but sank back against the stronger form of the General, paired with an amicable kiss to her forehead. "I'm sure she'll speak to you as soon as she's ready." The blonde hummed but didn't commit to an answer as such. A sort of benign peace had engulfed the room and even though their mistress had risen (not literally), the Vornskr snored on. Hux, however, remembered the promise to himself that now that the time had come to fulfil it, he found it difficult to broach the subject.

"Raina?"

"Mmm?"

"I haven't been entirely honest with you." He probably should have expected her to stiffen in his arms and the slow heighten of a disappointed and suspicious gaze.

"Oh?"

"About my name, Raina."

"Okay?" Hux freed one of his hands and swept it through his hair, half to tame it from lying on it and half as a stalling tactic but the fiery blonde on his chest wouldn't be kept waiting. "Wanna clear that up for me or…..?" More reluctance which only irritated her.

"My father changed it unofficially when I started my academic career at the Academy." The opening sentence didn't answer much but if the female had anything, it was patience and she could appreciate his struggle which clearly hindered him. "I am…. Illegitimate."

"But-!"

"I know, it's not common knowledge and I was a last resort when his wife didn't provide him with a male heir."

"Hell…."

"Mmm….. He went about the traditional route of giving me his name, as if I was a respectable, legitimate son to fool those at the Academy. My step-mother's family, needless to say, had ties there; otherwise he wouldn't have married her so the rouse was necessary. I just wanted so desperately to please him, wanted to make him proud and prove I was worthy of his name but nothing was ever good enough and I have no shame in saying that I have given up. I feel so much more embraced and accepted here than I ever did at home, at the Academy, in the Order. I doubt he would be pleased if he knew where I was and with whom-"

"Join the club, my father would be _pissed._ And my brothers. I'd be tarred with the same brush as Vida; a whore to the First Order."

"You're not though. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course I do. C'mon, back to the name."

"My name…" A deep sigh dug up the name he hadn't uttered or even thought about in years. "Is Armitage." Whether the responsive silence was good or bad, he couldn't tell but eventually, he did feel something, some sort of an indication that she had taken the information on board. A light heaving of her chest against his. "Raina?"

 _"_ _Armitage! Fucking Armitage! No wonder you fucking let him change it!"_ The heaves had been joined by tell-tale huffs of laughter and it was Hux's turn to be unimpressed. Lips pursed and eyes averted to the corner of the ceiling by the door, he waited for the laughter to subside. He waited and waited and waited but Raina's convulsions only seemed to intensify. _"Oh my God! I can't! I can't!"_

"Raina."

 _"_ _I know! I'm sorry! But shit, Armitage! Who thought that was a good idea?!"_

"We should probably get ready for breakfast. Vida might join us."

 _"_ _Just…. Just two minutes! I can't do anything like this! I… I think I'm gonna wet myself!"_

"I haven't used it in almost thirty years and I'd like to start again; a clean slate with you and a new name. Provided you don't lose control of yourself every time you use it." Raina did try to regain herself upon the declaration and its serious connotations; after several attempts, she managed to calm herself.

"I'll try. Renouncing the Order and now your name? I'm a lucky gal."


End file.
